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The city of Fairfield has had trouble paying some city workers in recent months.

The city council voted Friday to pay all employees except the mayor, city councilors and public safety workers. Five days later, the rest of employees finally received their paychecks.

When an employer fails to pay workers on their regular scheduled pay day, that clearly violates the Fair Labor Standards Act, according to Kenneth Stripling, director of Alabama's Wage and Hour division of the U.S. Department of Labor.

"The law says employees are required to be paid on their regularly scheduled pay day," he said.

The delay can force his office to launch an investigation and ultimately impose fines and penalties.

"For example, if they owe $50,000, they would be twice that amount, it could be $100,000. That would mean that employee would be paid double what they are owed. As well as the employer could be facing civil money penalties," Stripling said.

The fact that the employees were paid late Wednesday afternoon means they are no longer in violation, Stripling said.

"It is unacceptable, because employees should be paid timely. They should be paid their wages they are entitled to and receive that fair day's pay for a fair day's work," Stripling said.

He plans to watch how things unfold in Fairfield and if they paycheck delays continue, he is not ruling out taking appropriate action against the financially-strapped city.

"My plan going forward, since you brought it to my attention, is to look at this situation and hopefully bring about a resolution if it is needed and go from there," Stripling said.